Australia Day ride by sb1250

Got my Dunlop Q2’s from JW in under 5 days, so Moto-werx in Eltham fitted em up ready for an early departure the following day. Headed off at 6.30am Australia Day to meet with my mate at Yarra Glen. Hot Air balloons had already filled the sky over the Yarra ranges.
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We had a fairly leisurely ride up the Melba to Yea, then onto Mansfield for fuel. The main street of Mansfield smelled of bacon and sausages emitting from the Rotary Club bbq’s. It was very tempting to stop for a feed, but the Bandit was over weight anyway and didn’t need the extra kilos!
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The trip to Whitfield was done with caution coz of those wallabies, which we weren’t disappointed -curious little buggers! The power lines dissapearing down the valley.
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Stopped for a cuppa and a donut at the Milawa bakery before heading thru Myrtleford to Bright, then onto Mt Beauty for more fuel. The trip up to Falls was spectacular although there was a lot of push bikes training for some race over the Oz Day weekend.
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A quick stop at the Rocky Valley reservoir before heading thru to the Omeo Hwy (the last time I did this road it was a rocky trail at least 20 years ago!).!). I’d say that the bitumen is a little easier on rider and bike now!. The Omeo Hwy south past the Blue Duck had its tricky moments with assorted road works and sand strategically place in random corners just to give you the shits! Lunch was at a bakery in Omeo where the lads from Oz-Trail magazine pulled up for a quick pie between testing various chook chasers. I really enjoyed the road south from Omeo to Bruthen - especially when there was a 4wd piloted by a wanna be Jenson Button setting the pace up front. As low budget as the Bandit suspension is, it was still confidence inspiring (along with my new Q2’s) to pass said 4wd and put a lot of space between us. More fuel was needed at Bruthen before heading to the camp site at Bemm River for a total days travel of about 700kms.
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Tents up, and a nice hot soaking shower was had before a short stroll to the pub for a few coldies with dinner (well, a few before dinner, with dinner, and maybe a couple more after!) To our surprise, the pub was fairly quiet - especially for an Australia Day public holiday. We were the last to leave at 9pm! In fact - traffic was quiet for the whole trip so far. A quick call home from the phone booth (Telstra mobile coverage was non existent) to make sure the kids hadn’t given the missus the complete shits after less than a day.
Friday, and the sun was breaking, the birds were singing, and the clouds were starting to darken up. I was hoping this wasn’t a sign of what we were to expect for the rest of the day. Breakfast done, tents packed up, and bikes were warming up by 8am. Next planned stop was for fuel at Cann River in anticipation of a brisk ride the long way to Eden (up the Cann Valley Hwy, over the NSW border, then right onto the Mt Imlay road). The ride out of Bemm River was eventful as far as wild life goes. A kangaroo wasn’t sure what it wanted to do, and a black snake thought he was sure, but after I passed by his tail, it decided that where he came from was a safer place than where he was heading. Not a great decision, coz the VFR following me ran straight over the top of it. Never a nice feeling seeing such a graceful serpent being run over. Also not a good feeling is when you KO a bird with your helmet! Bell Bird Creek lived up to its name - albeit a Shoei and not a Bell, but that little bird is now up shit creek! The refuel at Cann River had my mate jumping around due to a very lively hand sized arachnid that didn’t want to travel under his bagster tank bag anymore! We decided that there had been enough killing today, and the rest of the trip would be full of peace, love and mung beans!
Well, the dark clouds sprang an ever so slight leak - and it started to drizzle, on and off, as we headed north. This section of the Cann Valley Hwy is thoroughly enjoyable. My excitement level was building as the Mt Imlay Road turn off was approaching. Its been a few years since Ive been down this piece of road, and although the west end has now been sealed, it was still an unbelievable section of road. Well, what a disappointment! Logging has started up in the area again (probably for some time now) and the road has been turned to shit. I stopped just before the Princess Hwy for a snack and to wait for my mate to catch up while thinking “Im going to cross this bit of road off my list for a while”. Since leaving Cann River I’d almost pulled over a few times to put on my wet weathers, but pushed on even though water was making its way thru the leathers. The ride up thru Grumpy60 country to Pambula for fuel was clear, but as we approached Pambula - the heavens opened (no pun intended). I struggled to get my wet weather gloves on due to the last time I wore them (I pulled my hands out without supporting the inners, hence the inners were now inside out!) The rain stayed constant thru to Wyndam, but eased off just before Candelo. Apparently this is a nice stretch of road, but there was so much mist I couldn’t see past the edge of the road! The trip up Browns Mtn was slow. We followed the tail lights of the car in front, until the fog cleared somewhere just before the Monaro Hwy turn off. Next stop was Cooma for lunch. A pie and apple turn over at Sandis’ bakery hit the spot. My mate looked thru his ventura bag to find everything was saturated. He wasn’t too keen to pitch a wet tent and sleep in a soggy sleeping bag that night, so we decided to push thru and join up with the Hume Hwy and head home.....bugger! I was looking forward to camping at Geehi.
The wet weathers were peeled off ready for the journey west where the temperature was warmer and the rain was days away. I had a quick look over my shoulder as we passed the old wrecking yard just outside of Cooma hoping to see that magical part I need to complete my other project! I should stop in there one day, it looks like a time capsule of cars from days gone by. The road into Jindabyne was spectacular with the wedge tail eagles soaring above - what huge birds! Fuel at Jindabyne Caltex, before heading to the National park entrance. The nice lady at the booth reckoned we didn’t have to pay a park fee coz we were heading straight thru. Off we went, and past the Thredbo turn off the road lost its centre line markings. Tents were scattered along the river banks, bush walkers dotted the mountain side, and there was a lot of dead trees from the last bush fire. Spectacular scenery, I love this part of the country - we truly do live in a magnificent part of the world. After passing some weird and some not so weird camper vans and buses, we pulled into Geehi just to see what we were missing out on. What a nice spot. I’d camped at Tom Groggin in the past, and this was every bit just as nice - and it had a hut!
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Well, the ride to Khancoban ended too soon. The temperature was rising now as we headed for our next fuel stop at Tallangatta along the Murray Valley Hwy. I struggled to get off the Bandit at Tallangatta BP coz my knee was pretty sore - followed by my arse. I reckon 700kms is about all I can do comfortably on the Bandits seat, although you have more of an opportunity to move around to get a better position than I did on the GSXR. If we had stayed at Geehi the night before, the trip now would have taken us south at Kiewa, and back to Myrtleford via the Rosewhite Gap then back to Melbourne the same way as day 1. This was not to be, so onto Wodonga and the Hume Hwy. There’s no point documenting anything along the Hume - its bloody awful, but it serves a purpose. I ended up riding up my driveway just after 9pm - thats over 13 hours and 1000kms in one day. Oh boy, a toasted vegemite sandwich and a hot shower never felt so good! The Bandit did everything a Bandit should, and the pro-oiler kept the chain happy without me worrying about it. Yep, my arse is sore and my knee is the size of a football, but Im planning the next trip already - and this time, making sure anyone joining me is appropriately packed just in case it does rain....

Top report sb1250 , and pictures / sounds like a great trip

Thanks, I always love a good ride report. I have fond memories of some of those roads from 2010 some of the names I couldn't follow. Any chance of a Google Map link?

Great read sb1250. A long trip but as you say, a great part of the country to ride, even better if the weather is fine. I'll be doing some of that same route on the way from Canberra to Phillip Island for World Supers.

Sounds like fun was had.
I should have noted in my recent ride post that I thought the Mt Imlay Rd was crap .. it was dinner time.

Great report. I know most of those road's and hail from King Valley (Whitfield).
If you have a smart phone install MyTracks and it will lay a trail over a Google Map for those of us geographically challenged.

Thanks all - it was a great ride, although a day shorter than originally planned.
My phone is pretty smart - it even shows me who is trying to call! But it doesnt have this "eye" that you speak of
Each ride is planned by photocopying a road atlas, working out the route, then using a permanent marker to seal the trip! The map is then stuffed into the map pocket on the tank bag and voila - instant DIY GPS!!
Yep, its old school - but thats how Ive always done it. If anyone needs some more detail of an area, or wants a scanned copy of the map - let me know.

10/10. Great reading. Thanks for sharing SB1250.

sb1250 wrote:Thanks all - it was a great ride, although a day shorter than originally planned.
My phone is pretty smart - it even shows me who is trying to call! But it doesnt have this "eye" that you speak of
Each ride is planned by photocopying a road atlas, working out the route, then using a permanent marker to seal the trip! The map is then stuffed into the map pocket on the tank bag and voila - instant DIY GPS!!
Yep, its old school - but thats how Ive always done it. If anyone needs some more detail of an area, or wants a scanned copy of the map - let me know.

The smartest of phones dont have the "eye" you speak of
I was more meaning so us at home can see where you've been if its overlaid on a Google map.

I use the printed map method when I'm on the bike too

sb1250 wrote:Thanks all - it was a great ride, although a day shorter than originally planned.
My phone is pretty smart - it even shows me who is trying to call! But it doesnt have this "eye" that you speak of
Each ride is planned by photocopying a road atlas, working out the route, then using a permanent marker to seal the trip! The map is then stuffed into the map pocket on the tank bag and voila - instant DIY GPS!!
Yep, its old school - but thats how Ive always done it. If anyone needs some more detail of an area, or wants a scanned copy of the map - let me know.

I also have adopted the printed approach not yet being convinced I need a GPS. I do what you do sb1250 but I also bought a laminator at Aldi for $16 so the maps are water-proofed. Aldi sell the plastic pockets as well.